UW 4 CC 3 OT
 
The University of Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Colorado College Tigers
4 - 3 in overtime last night to win the WCHA tournament at the St. Paul
Civic Center.
 
The Badgers beat CC by forcing the Tigers to play tough, physical hockey.
Colorado College seemed to be slowed and worn down by the clutchy, grabby
play of the Badgers.
 
The game was really quite boring through the first two periods. UW shut
down CC's potent offense, limiting the Tigers to one goal in the first.
UW got on the board early in the second to even the score. The joyous
Badger fans reveled in their opportunity to chant "SIEVE" at CC's Bach,
who up until the tieing goal had stopped more shots than the Wisconsin
goalie. One goal doesn't constitute a sieve in my book.
 
The second period continued with more tight, physical play. CC had
several power play opportunities in the period but couldn't do anything.
 
In the third period UW jumped out to a 3 - 1 lead on goals from Spencer
and Elick near the midway point of the period. CC came back just as
everyone in the arena knew they would, however. Peter Geronazzo completed
a natural hat trick with goals at 14:27 and 18:31 to tie the game.
Geronazzo's second goal came on a nice rush on a CC power play and his
third goal was on a scramble in front of the net. The puck was fired in
on UW's goalie and the short rebound or bobble was poked in on the second
or third jab by Geronazzo.
 
The CC fans and most of the Minnesota fans in attendence were happy to
see CC come back and tie it up. The third period ran out and for the
third time in five games an overtime period was played.
 
I figured the first team to get a good rush on goal would probably win
the game. Of course, I thought that would be the case in the previous two
OT games too and was very wrong. This time my prediction came true. With
a face off outside the CC zone UW controlled the puck and dumped it down
into the CC zone. The puck played along behind the CC goal and a
centering pass managed to squirt out to UW defenseman Marko Balkovec in
the slot. What a defenseman was doing so deep in the zone is beyond me,
but he was in the right spot at the right time and punched the puck home
on a backhand shot that beat CC's Bach.
 
With the OT win, the UW band was not satisfied. They felt they had to rub
it into the CC team and fans by doing their "SIEVE" chant. They do it
after every goal they get, however, so I suppose it's just part of their
normal routine. Either way, I thought it was really unsporting of them.
In my opinion I don't think CC's Bach was a seive last night. He faced 38
shots and made many nice saves.
 
UW's goalie Kirk Daubenspeck was named the tournament's MVP and the
all-tournament team goalie. His tournament GAA was 3.5 and save
percentage was .888 (56 saves on 63 shots on goal)
 
Also named to the all-tournament team were: defensemen Mark Strobel of
UW, Eric Rud of CC, forwards Peter Geranazzo of CC, Ryan Kraft of U of M,
and Jason Elders of DU.
 
All in all a very exciting and fun WCHA Final Five Tournament.
 
Reed